According to reports, Japan will withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and resume commercial whaling from next year – a move that has not gone down well with Australia and other anti-whaling countries. Kyodo news agency quoted unnamed government sources as saying Japan would abandon its controversial, and expensive, expeditions to the Southern Ocean and […]
The annual Dall’s porpoise hunts in northern Japan that have already claimed the lives of thousands of endangered porpoises resumed yesterday. The Dall’s porpoise hunts, along with dolphin hunts at the notorious cove in Taiji, continue to slaughter these beautiful animals at an alarming rate while supplying cetacean meat to Japanese consumers that is loaded with […]
Japan’s famed pink cherry blossoms make an appearance for around two weeks in the spring season, much to the delight to locals and tourists. This year, however, the cherry trees have already started blooming in autumn. More than 350 people reported seeing the ephemeral flowers this autumn, though it isn’t clear if or to what extent […]
According to WWF, three Japanese ships killed more than 50 minke whales in part of the Ross Sea marine protection area (MPA) in January and February 2018 even as fishing is restricted in that area to protect marine life like blue, humpback, minke and killer whales, emperor penguins and Weddell seals. The disclosure comes on the opening […]
Many parts around the world are facing severe heatwaves at present. Japan has decided to declare these scorching conditions a natural disaster as heat-related deaths touched 77 on Tuesday. More than 30,000 people have been hospitalized for heat-related illnesses since July 9. The highest temperature ever recorded by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) was reported on […]
Historic flooding and landslides after torrential downpour have claimed the lives of at least 126 people in Western Japan. Authorities have ordered around 2 million people to evacuate, while another 2 million have already been evacuated. It is the highest death toll caused by rainfall that Japan has seen in more than three decades. Rescuers […]
Japanese whalers captured 333 cetaceans in the Antarctic Ocean last summer as part of the country’s annual “research” hunt. The campaign began in November last year as part of Japan’s controversial “scientific” whaling. Out of the 333 minke whales caught during the controversial 12-week expedition, 181 were female – including 53 immature ones. Figures show that […]
More than six years ago, a tsunami triggered the infamous nuclear accident at Japan’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Now experts are urging the country to gradually release the one million tons of radioactive water still stored in to the Pacific Ocean. Currently, the water is stored on site in around 900 large and densely packed tanks […]